State ranks 17th in child vaccinations

Published: Friday, April 26, 2013 at 6:54 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, April 26, 2013 at 6:54 p.m.

Louisiana ranks 17th in the nation for infant immunizations. But state leaders say more work needs to be done because a fourth of the state’s children are not fully immunized.

Each year, thousands of children become ill from diseases that could have been prevented with childhood immunizations, according to state officials. Countless more miss school or day care because they were not immunized.

In 2012, more than 50 people were reported to have measles across the country.

Also in 2012, preliminary data from the federal Centers for Disease Control shows more than 41,000 cases of whooping cough, also called pertussis, in the United States, including 18 deaths.

Most of these deaths were in children younger than 1 year old. This was the highest number of pertussis cases in any one year in the country since 1955.

“A substantial number of infants in the United States still aren’t adequately protected from vaccine-preventable diseases,” said Interim Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Kathy Kliebert. “The suffering or death of even one child from a disease that could be prevented from a vaccine is an unnecessary human tragedy. Let us renew our efforts to ensure that no child, adolescent or adult will have to needlessly suffer from a disease that a vaccine could prevent.”

This week was National Infant Immunization Week, and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is encouraging parents to make sure their children’s immunizations are up to date.

The state is also working through its Louisiana Shots for Tots Coalition, a statewide public and private partnership working to increase vaccination rates through public education and outreach. That campaign is sending out vaccination reminder cards to pediatricians and day care providers.

“Vaccines are among the most successful and cost-effective public health tools available for preventing disease and death,” said J.T. Lane, assistant secretary of the Health and Hospitals Office of Public Health. “They help protect not only vaccinated individuals but entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases.”

In recent years, more and more parents have delayed or foregone vaccinations because of fears of side effects. Doctors say that while in rare cases side effects can happen, for the most part vaccines are safe and important because of the serious childhood diseases they prevent.

Vaccines have drastically reduced infant death and disability caused by preventable diseases in the United States, state officials said. Giving babies the recommended immunizations by age 2 is the best way to protect them from 14 serious childhood diseases, including whooping cough and measles.

In the 1950s, nearly every child developed measles, and some even died from this serious disease. Today, few physicians just out of medical school will ever see a case of measles during their careers. Parents are encouraged to talk to their child’s doctor to ensure their infant is up-to-date on immunizations.

In 2011, 74.6 percent of Louisiana’s children aged 2 or younger were up-to-date on immunizations, beating the national average of 73.3 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Immunization Survey.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Healthy People 2020 immunization goal is to have 90 percent of children up to date with all recommended vaccines. The state is working to meet that goal.

<p>Louisiana ranks 17th in the nation for infant immunizations. But state leaders say more work needs to be done because a fourth of the state's children are not fully immunized.</p><p>Each year, thousands of children become ill from diseases that could have been prevented with childhood immunizations, according to state officials. Countless more miss school or day care because they were not immunized. </p><p>In 2012, more than 50 people were reported to have measles across the country. </p><p>Also in 2012, preliminary data from the federal Centers for Disease Control shows more than 41,000 cases of whooping cough, also called pertussis, in the United States, including 18 deaths. </p><p>Most of these deaths were in children younger than 1 year old. This was the highest number of pertussis cases in any one year in the country since 1955.</p><p>“A substantial number of infants in the United States still aren't adequately protected from vaccine-preventable diseases,” said Interim Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Kathy Kliebert. “The suffering or death of even one child from a disease that could be prevented from a vaccine is an unnecessary human tragedy. Let us renew our efforts to ensure that no child, adolescent or adult will have to needlessly suffer from a disease that a vaccine could prevent.”</p><p>This week was National Infant Immunization Week, and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is encouraging parents to make sure their children's immunizations are up to date.</p><p>The state is also working through its Louisiana Shots for Tots Coalition, a statewide public and private partnership working to increase vaccination rates through public education and outreach. That campaign is sending out vaccination reminder cards to pediatricians and day care providers.</p><p>“Vaccines are among the most successful and cost-effective public health tools available for preventing disease and death,” said J.T. Lane, assistant secretary of the Health and Hospitals Office of Public Health. “They help protect not only vaccinated individuals but entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases.”</p><p>In recent years, more and more parents have delayed or foregone vaccinations because of fears of side effects. Doctors say that while in rare cases side effects can happen, for the most part vaccines are safe and important because of the serious childhood diseases they prevent.</p><p>Vaccines have drastically reduced infant death and disability caused by preventable diseases in the United States, state officials said. Giving babies the recommended immunizations by age 2 is the best way to protect them from 14 serious childhood diseases, including whooping cough and measles.</p><p>In the 1950s, nearly every child developed measles, and some even died from this serious disease. Today, few physicians just out of medical school will ever see a case of measles during their careers. Parents are encouraged to talk to their child's doctor to ensure their infant is up-to-date on immunizations.</p><p>In 2011, 74.6 percent of Louisiana's children aged 2 or younger were up-to-date on immunizations, beating the national average of 73.3 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Immunization Survey. </p><p>The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Healthy People 2020 immunization goal is to have 90 percent of children up to date with all recommended vaccines. The state is working to meet that goal.</p>